KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian-Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) senior enforcer has claimed trial at the Sessions Court here to criminal breach of trust involving US$6.94mil (RM29.02mil).
Shahrum Nizam Baharuddin, 40, pleaded not guilty before Sessions Court judge Suzana Hussin after the charge was read out yesterday.
According to the charge sheet, Shahrum was charged in his capacity as a civil servant – specifically a Grade 44 senior enforcer – who committed criminal breach of trust involving monies entrusted to him.
The offence was allegedly committed between Dec 17, 2018, and April 9, 2019, at the Special Action Branch division chief’s room at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya.
The charge under Section 409 of the Penal Code carries imprisonment of between two and 20 years with whipping and a possible fine upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin objected to bail on the grounds that it was a non-bailable offence.
“This is a very serious case involving a huge amount of money, nearing RM30mil.
“If the court decides to impose bail, we ask for a RM10mil bail in three sureties,” he said.
Shahrum’s lawyer K. Ponnusamy, however, asked for lower bail, saying that his client is a father of two who suffers from a slipped disc and has nose cancer.
The court did not allow bail and fixed the case for mention on Feb 18.
The prosecution came after MACC said on Monday that a Grade 41 anti-graft officer would be charged with the alleged loss of case items that belonged to the commission.
The case items in question are associated with former Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation head Datuk Hasanah Ab Hamid, who in April last year was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal by the High Court for criminal breach of trust involving RM50.4mil in government funds.
The case was withdrawn following a new development.
It was reported that Hasanah had attempted to reclaim the seized money, but found that part of it missing and replaced with counterfeit notes.
On Sept 21 last year, MACC confirmed that three of its senior officers were remanded for six days to assist in the investigation into allegations of abuse of power and malfeasance.